Dear Senior . . .

Congratulations entering your senior year at Hope College. While graduation is months away, your last year at Hope will go by quickly. Therefore, please consider seriously taking some initial steps now to plan your transition to work or graduate school.

Our staff would be happy to assist you over the coming weeks to help you with a variety of issues, including:

  • Clarifying your career direction
  • Developing a plan for finding work
  • Approaches to effective networking (it’s in who you know… let us help connect you)
  • Coaching on how to prepare for interviews (what to wear, what to say, how to say it, and what to ask), as well as practicing your interviewing skills through a mock interview.

You will want to update or create your resume in Handshake, since it is the only tool we use for our events, intern/job postings and scheduling appointments with our staff. Please be sure to have a current profile with your up to date resume loaded.

Watch for upcoming events and opportunities to pursue at hope.edu/boerigterevents. For example, in a few short weeks, there will be our annual Fall Recruiting Fair on October 2 to learn about, and pursue a range of opportunities.

Please call our office to schedule a mock interview to prepare for any upcoming interviews that you may have. Gaining experience with interviewing is key to building your confidence for the real thing. And, consider using our online interview practice portal, InterviewPrep.

Take control of your future by taking initiative now. We are looking forward to meeting with you soon!
–

Dale Austin
Boerigter Center for Calling and Career

Jerry Maguire’s Tips for Parents

The Boerigter Center for Calling and Career or as we like call it on campus the “Boerigter Center” or “BCCC” has formally been in place for just over a year, and parents may be wondering what resources are available and how students should engage the team.  To help guide you through the process, I will refer to a few quotes from life and career coach Jerry Maguire and his associates.

“You had me at hello”

The first question is, “When should students visit BCCC?”  The simple answer is right away, even as a freshman.  First Year Seminar (FYS) classes will engage BCCC resources to help students discover their calling and develop academic advising plans.  Outside of FYS, BCCC staff can meet with students individually or in small groups.  We find that meeting in small groups puts students at ease to learn that many other students are undecided and seeking assistance developing academic major and career plans.

“Help me help you”

There are a number of resources within BCCC to engage in every phase of your student’s college experience, but each step involves scheduling an appointment or visiting during drop-in hours.  To make this easier, we’ve added scheduling capability through the Handshake app this year.  Along the way, the BCCC team can help discover and explore gifts and interests, build a resume, draft a cover letter, explore internships, perform mock interviews, and find a job or graduate school.  Keep in contact with the BCCC team often, because all of these steps take time to do well.

“Play the game, play it from your heart”

Experiential learning, job shadowing, and internships give students the opportunity to obtain hands-on learning in a career field.  We encourage students to get this experience early on which enables them to explore multiple options or develop an academic focus for a given field.  This also provides networking opportunities and differentiated experiences that will be helpful going forward in the interview and application process for jobs and graduate school applications. 

“Show me the money!”

Soon your student will graduate from Hope and move on to a job or graduate school.  This is where all the preparation and experiences with the Boerigter Center at Hope pay off.  Looking good on paper (or electronically) is great and necessary, but 69% of all jobs are filled through networking.  We have a great network of companies, graduate schools, alumni, friends, and parents. Some tools that we use for networking include Handshake and LinkedIn.  From a student’s perspective, LinkedIn is not the most exciting social media platform for showing off to your friends what you did last weekend, but it is helpful for professional networking.  A good profile and many connections, even to their parents’ friends and colleagues, professors, or writers of marginally interesting blog posts, can be very helpful in obtaining soft introductions and referrals.  A strong profile can also be beneficial for students wishing to conduct informational interviews or get insights into a certain company. 

“You complete me”

In addition to encouraging your student to visit the Boerigter Center, there are ways that you as a parent can contribute to our joint success.  We would like to have you involved in experiential learning, job shadowing, internships, and networking.  Even if you’re new to the Hope College community, we encourage you to look at this as an opportunity to pay it forward for the parent or Hope alum that will help your student someday. 

Be the Ambassador of Quan and get involved at  www.Hope.edu/impact.  We would love to talk with you more about how to get involved. 

Connect with Daniel Osterbaan, Director of Development for Parent Giving at Hope College

New Feature Alert: Appointment Scheduling Through Handshake

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to schedule your own appointment at the Boerigter Center without having to leave the comfort of your own dorm? Without having to work through a long email thread or even make a phone call? Now you can! The Boerigter Center for Calling and Career is launching Self-Scheduling on Handshake. Read on to learn how to use this new feature. 

7 Easy Steps to Schedule an Appointment Through Handshake.

  1. Every student automatically gets a Handshake account upon coming to Hope College. This means all you have to do is navigate to hope.joinhandshake.com and log in to complete your account using your Hope email and password. 
  2. Scroll to the upper right corner of the homepage by your name, there is a button labeled “Career Center.” From the drop-down there is a option that says “Appointments” select this to start the scheduling process.
  3.  At the top of the Appointments page, you will want to select, “Schedule a New Appointment.” 
  4. A few questions will come up to help you start scheduling your appointment including what class you are currently in and what kind of appointment you are interested in.
  5. Once you have selected your class and an appointment type, you will be able to see the next available appointment times. If you see a time that works for you, click on it to continue. Sometimes there are multiple staff members available for your desired appointment topic. If that is the case and you have a preference between them you can click on their name to see only their available time slots. 
  6. After selecting an appointment slot you will have a chance to write down the details of what you want help with. Each appointment will require slightly different questions to be answered.  This is to help make sure that the staff at the Boerigter Center can give you the best help possible. 
  7. Click request, make sure that your notifications are on and set to email notifications in case there are any updates to your appointment, and you are all set! We look forward to seeing you at your appointment. 

After you complete these steps you will get notified that your appointment has been approved by the staff member. This is an extra step on our end that makes sure you have the right appointment with the correct staff member.

*If you ever need to go back and look at your appointments, just go to the Appointments page. There you will be able to see any appointments you have scheduled and attended.

Want to learn more or see screen shots of the steps above? Check out the Handshake Help Center’s tip sheet How to Request an Appointment

 

Parent to Parent: The Time Has Come

It was six years ago when we dropped off our youngest for her first year of college. So many emotions and so little time to process them! It’s August 2019 and three weeks away from your child heading to Hope College; exciting and scary at the same time, especially if this is their/your first year. This post is to share some of my thoughts around this time and reflect a bit on what it was like for me. Take what feels helpful to you!

Our youngest chose an institution that was 506 miles away from home. It was the right fit for her but my mind spun through every negative scenario possible: What if she got homesick? What if she got sick and needed me? What if it wasn’t a good fit? What if people weren’t nice to her?… The reality was we would navigate it together even from a distance. It was just hard for me to see that. Thinking back on this time, this would have been helpful to hear:

  1. There are faculty and staff here at Hope who are parents. I’m one of them. We care about your student. You will never be able to take the “mom” out of me and that carries into the work I do. Trust that all staff and faculty WILL care for your child, not just as a student but as a person.
  2. Your child will have taken the StrengthsFinder assessment prior to coming to Hope. Talk to them about their results. Maybe take it yourself strengthsquest.com so you can share with each other. I found the language so incredibly helpful in understanding my daughter. It gave me insight into how she worked as a person which helped me speak her language when walking through challenges and successes.
  3. Give it some time. This is a significant transition for everyone. Your child wants to get out there and make their own decisions and that can be scary for both of you. Be patient and help them realize this is the first time in their lives they have had the opportunity to really make their own choices. They may feel like they aren’t good at it and that’s true; because they haven’t had much practice. Share how you make decisions not what you think the decision should be. Encourage them to connect with those of us on campus who also want to help them learn how to do this. It really does take a village if we want to do it well.
  4. Instinctively they may choose to do the opposite of what you say/hope and that’s okay. Even though I counsel around vocation, calling and career, my daughter needed to hear that from others who were “not her mom”. By encouraging her to reach to others, she came back to me for guidance on her own and that felt better to both of us.
  5. Tell them it’s okay not to have it all figured out! Be honest, we had very little figured out at 18 or 19 years old. Your student is coming to a liberal arts college where they will get a well-rounded education that will be marketable in any field. Encourage them to explore their strengths, interests, and what they feel potentially called to do. Give them the space to do that knowing it is a process we will support and encourage here at Hope.

This all sounds simple, but it isn’t. I had to fight with myself between what I knew my daughter needed and what I desperately wanted her to have. Be patient and have grace with yourself and your student. You will figure out this new chapter and relationship with each other!

The Importance of Being Involved

Image result for hope college student activity fairGetting involved in college can be tough and daunting. Although there are dozens of organizations that may sound very appealing and interesting, balancing academics, involvement, and a social life can quickly become a pain to handle. However, being involved in college has many benefits. Here are four reasons you should get involved in school and how to do it at Hope College.

1. Looks Great on a Résumé

Being involved in any organization lets others know how well-rounded of an individual you are. By becoming a part of an organization you learn many different qualities and characteristics that strengthen who you are as an individual. Involvement does not necessarily have to be President or Treasurer, just being a general member can go a long way!

2. Networking

Organizations in colleges have many connections within the institution and community. You might meet individuals who can recommend you for a future job or can possibly present you, your future job.

3. Helps with Transitioning from College to Work

Joining an organization can become very difficult in terms of time management ` and the amount of workload. Learning how to manage your time and how to handle multiple responsibilities and work is awesome preparation for how a job can look like.

4. Builds Confidence

Joining a new organization can be a hard thing to do for some. The idea of meeting new people can very nerve-wracking to many. By getting involved in organizations that bring diverse experiences into your life, can help you start gaining confidence that is beneficial when looking for a job or at a new job.

Hope College has over 80+ different groups and organizations that are open to all students. Most of the time, it only takes one email to become a general member! Go on to Hope College’s Student Life page and with easy quick access, you can learn a little bit more about all of the different organizations and get in contact with those you choose.

 

Get Involved! Host a Hope Student Through DiscoverWork

Are you an alum that has been discerning ways to give back to Hope College? Have you ever thought your job would be an interesting to shadow? Do you feel called to help current undergrads explore their major? We have the program for you!

The DiscoverWork program run by the Boerigter Center for Calling and Career connects students with alumni, friends or employer partners of Hope College who share their career experiences, lessons learned and professional tips for landing a job or internship in their industries. Different from an internship, DiscoverWork opportunities are short-term, unpaid opportunities to meet with or shadow a professional and gain a first-hand perspective of his or her day-to-day work life.

Alumni will have an opportunity to…
• Make a positive and lasting impact on the career exploration process for an undergraduate student
• Aid in informing students about the helpful and required skills needed to enter the workforce
• Develop personal connections with current students in a coaching/mentoring capacity
• Meet potential new talent for future summer interns and full-time employees and increase the exposure of your company and career field/industry.

Host registration is open for the 2019-2020 cycle and we want you! 

Need more information or ideas for hosting a shadow? Check out our Host Guide.

Ready to register? Click here for the registration form.

*Not ready to host but willing to have a student stay in your home if they are shadowing in your area? We want you! Click the registration from above and indicate that you would like to be a “Housing Host”

We hope you will consider being a host this year and look forward to connecting you with our awesome students this Fall! Have questions? Please contact Megan Scheldt, Networking Coach & Program Manager at discoverwork@hope.edu

Make the Most of Your Summer Job

Maybe you’re stepping into a common summer job, camp counselor position, or your first ever internship. Whatever your summer job may be, you want to get the most out of it to continue to build your experience and understanding. There’s a lot of ways to make the most of your summer job, but here are a few tips and tricks to consider.

Practice the art of saving money and budgeting

It’s likely you’ll be making some money from your summer job. It may be a lot or a little, but the summer can be a great time to practice what it looks like to set aside money for different purposes and map out a budget. There are plenty of resources you can find online to help you get started.

Treat it like an interview

Especially for those of you in an internship, treat the opportunity like an interview. Employers will be watching to see how you interact with others and how well you are able to execute certain tasks. This is a great chance to show your potential and the skills you already have. Always come with a good attitude and be willing to adapt to whatever the job may throw your way.

Make connections

Your summer job is a great place to start networking. Whatever company you’re working for, find ways to connect with various people within the company and give yourself more opportunities. You may meet someone who has a random connection somewhere outside of the company that interests you and could help launch you into the next thing. Don’t be afraid to strike up conversations and connect.

Think about Transferable skills

You may not have the ideal summer job or one that has anything to do with your future studies, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a lot out of the opportunity. Think about the day-to-day skills you use such as communication, customer service, adaptability, or whatever else it may be. These are great skills to have that you should include in your résumé as results of your work.

write a blog

Some of you may find value in documenting your experiences or writing about different things you’re learning or interested in within your field. You may not be a writer, but learning and gaining skills in writing can be incredibly beneficial. Consider taking the time to write your experiences to share with others.

Whatever you do this summer, make the most of it. Whether it’s a minimum wage summer job or big city internship, there are skills and valuable experiences you can take from your job. Consider how you can make the most of your time, and enjoy every moment of summer.

So Long, Farewell…The Seniors Give Their Last Remarks

College goes by in the blink of an eye, and with that, some of our beloved Career Advisors will be leaving us. Several CA’s are leaving our staff this year. Though we are sad to see them go, we wanted to give them one last chance to reflect on what the Career Development Center, now, The Boerigter Center has meant to them during their college career. Some have been here for many moons, others are new this year. Either way, grab your tissues and popcorn and hear what they have to say!

Rachel Gillespie:

Hey, friends! My name is Rachel, and I am finishing up my time as a Career Advisor for the Boerigter Center. My journey with this office began nearly four years ago in August of 2015, when I nervously (but excitedly) walked into the doors of the Career Development Center in Anderson Workmen for my first day. The people of this office have been some of the most important voices and strongest cheerleaders of my college career. They have taught me about life, discernment, calling, and what it means to give your whole heart to something. My time here has taught me about the working and professional world, how to connect with people at a deep level, and the art of meeting people right where they’re at. If I took the Boerigter Center out of my time at Hope College, something would be sorely lacking. I am so thankful that career work was a part of my story! This has been an incredible ride, and one that has changed my life. To this staff team: from the bottom of my heart, thank you for cheering for me so well. Friends, if you’ve never experienced what the place has to offer, I hope you’ll try it out. It might just be the best decision you’ll ever make.

Caitlin Lindman:

When I transferred here as a freshman, one of the first appointments I made was to meet with Amy Freehafer. I  wanted to set up my four year plan and had all these ideas about how I was going to start a bakery after college. During that appointment Amy told me about the Center for Leadership and helped me visualize all the possibilities for what my four years here would look like. She also encouraged me to fill out an application (that was closing in 2 days) for a CA position. I went home that afternoon and filled out the application and was scheduled for an interview…flash-forward three years later, and I’ve been working as a CA ever since. Honestly, I can’t talk about my time at Hope without talking about this position. Over the years, I’ve written several blogs, honed my marketing abilities, learned more about cover letters and resumes than I thought was possible, built lasting relationships with the Boerigter Center team, and loved every moment of working here. Megan Scheldt (and Amy) pours into each of us CAs and gives so much of her time to seeing us thrive. She’s given me the freedom to try new campaigns for the school, work on different projects, pushed me to grow outside my comfort zone, and cheered me on in all of my endeavors. I can’t say thank you enough to Megan, Amy, Shannon, Jena, Dale for how much you have helped me over the years. And to other students,  I can’t stress enough how much each person here wants to help you and see you succeed. Please don’t leave Hope without stopping into the office at least once– you never know if it might just change your life like it did mine.

ALLISON J DARNELL:

Throughout my first three years at Hope, I utilized the Career Development Center on a semester basis. These visits were limited to resume reviews and internship searching. Each staff member I met and every piece of insight I was presented with were immensely helpful. Leaving appointments, I felt reassured, confident, and empowered.

When the Career Development Center upgraded to the Boerigter Center, I was offered employment. As an emerging senior, I accepted this opportunity eager to more closely join this phenomenal community. Soon into the job, I began to better understand the resources readily available to students. The Boerigter Center offers so much more than resume reviews! With little time, I found myself sharing these opportunities with my classmates and friends. Working at the Boerigter has allowed me to fully utilize and share the resources available at the hands of Hope students and alumni. I am beyond thankful for this experience and the professional development it has provided me.

Isabel Bustamante

The Career Development Center was a frequent stop for me in my first few semesters at Hope. I was constantly trying to use all the resources I could to get a direction for my studies, and I am so thankful I utilized what is now the Boerigter Center. I was so grateful for how well-equipped I felt that I decided to apply to be a Career Advisor for my final year at Hope. I have learned so much from the full-time staff here whether it was through appointments or conversations in the office. They are passionate people who have so much great advice, and I would highly recommend using this irreplaceable resource. I am so excited for the next chapter in my life despite how unknown it feels. However, thanks to the Boerigter, I feel ready to take on this new and thrilling chapter.

RACHEL JENNINGS

As a freshman and sophomore, I utilized the Career Development Center a few
times each semester to get help with interviews and editing my resume. I spent my junior year and the summer going into my senior year as a student receptionist, and I learned all of the ins and outs of the office! I got to know each of the staff members very well as well as their areas of expertise. I learned more than I ever thought I could about resumes, cover letters, StrengthsQuest, and Handshake, but I am grateful for all of it!

My college career was heavily influenced by the wonderful students and staff members in the Boerigter Center for Calling and Career. The skills they taught me impacted the rest of my career at Hope. I was confident in my own abilities to navigate life after college; I developed new connections to offices around campus; I had opportunities to advance my own resume (ex: campus-wide presentations, leading major exploration groups, and creating a new organizational system for StrengthsQuest), and most importantly I developed a sense of mutual trust with some pretty amazing mentors.

I could not be more thankful for the opportunities this office gave me because not only are they are meaningful in a professional setting, but I learned some great life lessons along the way too! My advice is to take advantage of the BCCC early and often! This a very unique resource that Hope offers, so don’t wait until the last minute to get some guidance in your calling and career.

Christina Armbrester

My journey as a CA began at the end of my sophomore year when I was talking to Rachel Gillespie (who was currently a CA). I was telling her how I wanted an on-campus job that would help me make connections and learn while I was working. She told me about the Boerigter Center. I began working at Boerigter Center during the Fall semester of my junior year and I fell in love! I loved learning about how to create an exceptional resume, I loved the projects I worked on and I loved the people who I interacted with in the office, specifically Megan, Amy, Shannon, Jena and Dale. I am so thankful for the professional development that the Boerigter Center taught me and all the memories that were made at this phenomenal office!

Anna Gibbs

I began working as an Office Receptionist in the Alumni Office when I was a freshman at Hope College and was promoted to Career Advisor at the Boerigter Center during my senior year when the two offices merged and began working together more closely. The Alumni Office staff in particular has played an important role in shaping my time at Hope. These people anchored and supported me during moments of uncertainty, stress or homesickness, and built me up by reminding me of my talents and capabilities.

On Valentine’s Day I would find sweetly decorated cookies on the student desk with a handwritten note wishing me a Happy Valentine’s Day. On my Birthday, a vase with colorful flowers would await me. Regardless of the occasion or gesture, the staff always managed to put a smile on my face. Some of my fondest memories include watching the Tulip Time Parade from the balcony of the Plaza with Jenna and her parents, serving Kate and her precious family German potato salad at the International Food Festival, and spending time with all staff members at events such as Homecoming and Alumni weekend.

Not only did these staff members provide me with the skills necessary to succeed in a professional setting, but they also prepared me for a life of constant interactions and relationship building with other people. The Boerigter Center staff continued to foster my personal and professional development. Like the Alumni Office staff, these amazing coworkers and mentors demonstrated to me the importance of listening to others and treating them with empathy and respect. I will forever be grateful for the enriching and rewarding experience of being part of the Alumni Office and Boerigter Center team.

Nicole N mutua

One of the best decisions I made at the end of my freshman year was applying for the CA job that was posted on Handshake. Prior to becoming a Career Advisor, I had never made use of any of the great services that the Boerigter Center offers. Starting out as a sophomore I was able to learn a considerable amount of new skills and got the chance to work alongside an awesome team that included CAs, receptionists, and the Boerigter staff. Megan and Amy throughout the years have been some of my biggest cheerleaders. They have made me believe I can do anything. Megan gave me the freedom to try different tasks at the Boerigter, which immensely helped in my growth here at Hope College. Furthermore, using the resources at the Boerigter have helped tremendously on my journey to my future career, giving me the necessary steps I need to take to get there. Everyone should use the Boerigter Center, and it is never too late to use their resources. I have loved my time at the Boerigter Center, I am very grateful and thankful that I got the opportunity to work here and meet such astounding people.

Addison Huss

Working with the Boerigter team has been such a joy this year! I started out my time as a student employee in the Alumni Office as a freshman and have been with them ever since. I have been given experiences and opportunities I never could have imagined. From working at the front desk, answering emails and phone calls, to planning and working events and everything in between, this job has given me deeply valued work experience. When the Boerigter Center was first starting up, I had the opportunity to join the student receptionist team for one semester and then was offered a position as a Career Advisor. As a CA I get to work in the Alumni Office again and work on special projects as needed. I have been so blessed to create relationships with the entire Boerigter and Alumni team staff and cannot thank everyone enough for their support over the last four years. To the Boerigter staff- thank you for the work you do, we all appreciate you. To the Alumni staff- thank you for being there for me through the ups and downs of college and always teaching, supporting and loving me through it all, Hope would not be the same without you all!

DANNY CARPENTER

During my time at the Boerigter Center, I have seen amazing opportunities come to fruition due to hard work, dedication, and courage exemplified by my fellow Hope College students. I have been able to work with and assist some truly amazing students as they chase their ambitions, dreams, and aspirations. Ranging from helping with resumes and cover letters, to setting up events like the Summer Camp Fair, the Boerigter Center has left a lasting impact on my career, and given me a deep appreciation for encouraging students to chase their dreams. One thing that I have learned during my four short years here at Hope, has been to dream big and to not be scared to jump in. At the Boerigter Center, I see Hope students do this every day. There are no boundaries within the dreams of the magnificent students of Hope and I am confident that they will bring limitless hope to this world in a variety of careers and opportunities. Dreams are beautiful, and guidance along the way is crucial. The fruit stemming from the combination of new and creative dreams of Hope students and Boerigter staff is limitless. My advice to any current or future student reading this is to not be afraid to jump deep into passions. This picture takes place moments after I bungee jumped in Tibet and I include it as a reminder to myself that without jumping in and taking risks, I would just be watching others jump without a unique and memorable experience of my own. Dream Big. Work Hard. Seek Guidance. Sometimes the only thing stopping us is ourselves.

To all our CA’s…we thank you for all your time, effort, and passion for the work  we do. Our office would not be the same without you. Best of luck on your journey.

 

Another Great Year of DiscoverWork

In 2014 when the DiscoverWork Program (then called Externships) first started we sent 14 students out into the greater Hope community to shadow our alumni. Did you know that this year we had 56 students participate, 28 of which traveled outside the state of Michigan reaching our alumni afar?

The DiscoverWork Program is designed for students to explore fields and careers that they are interested in. Read on to here a few students take-aways!

Kate Kay, Junior, Geology Major

Host: JP Buckingham: COO | Principal Geologist | Triterra

Kate onsite with her host JP

“Seeing all the maps of sites that Triterra is working on currently really put things into perspective for me. I realized that I enjoyed interpreting historical maps and creating a risk assessment of potential contaminants that could be in the area. In fact, I briefly learned about this particular topic in one of my classes so I was excited to be able to understand the order of necessary data collection in Phase 1.

The reason I want to pursue a Geology degree is because of my passion for protecting the environment and being involved in the solution and not being part of the problem. During my time at Triterra I was able to connect with many employees. One in particular has never questioned what she does as a career because to her she was protecting the environment every day she came into work and that sealed the deal for me!”

Murphy Stadelmaier, Senior, Biology Major

Host: Heather Brake |Associate Director of Communication for the National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency of Toxic Substances and Disease Registry | Center for Disease Control & Prevention

Murphy outside the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia

“It was great to see concepts I am learning in Public Relations applied in the workplace. I could see myself someday working in a field like what I observed at the CDC. I enjoy the link between science and communication. It is very important to inform the public about the sciences in ways that are applicable and understandable. The collaboration in this department between the individuals in different positions was great to see. People with all different backgrounds and skills came together to work toward common goals. I really enjoyed my DiscoverWork opportunity at the CDC in the NCEH/ATSDR. I got a taste of the organization and the field and I know I will remember this experience forever.”

Marketea Abbott, Freshman, Undeclared

Host: Lindsay Allward-Theimer |Director of Volunteer Partnerships | Junior Achievement of Georgia

Marketea (left) with her host Lindsay (right) in Atlanta.

“My host, Lindsay, her husband, and their dog Nika welcomed me with open arms. My shadowing days were filled with new networking connections and helpful insight into the nonprofit world. My DiscoverWork opportunity was one of a lifetime, especially as freshman at Hope who arrived and was still adjusting to culture shock and being away from home. Lindsay and I had a ton of conversation regarding my options as far as deciding on a major.  This experience made me much more open and excited to start my journey. I now understand the value of having a background in business if I wish to start my own nonprofit one day. I was allowed to really plan out my future and make my dreams more realistic.”

Sam Click, Senior, Engineering Major

Host: Rachel Romero | Energy Engineer & Project Leader | National Renewable Energy Laboratory 

“This opportunity has been invaluable to me. I gained knowledge of my field, saw how departments promote confluence, made a handful of professional contacts, increased my confidence in the workplace and in my elevator pitch, and came out with a better sense of where I want to direct my career. All this I owe to the Discoverwork Program for making this possible and to Rachel Romero for hosting me and providing me with ample opportunity to develop my career.”

Tsega Tefera, Freshman, Undeclared & Grace McConaghie, Sophomore, Undeclared

Host: Tom Becker | EFCA ReachGlobal | Missionary-Church Mobilizer 

Tsega (second from left) next to Grace (third from right) with their hosts.

“Throughout my stay, I saw how God was working through the Becker’s.
I was able to recognize the importance of working together and the empathy required to understand the hurt experienced by the populations missionaries serve. I learned that it is a big commitment to leave everything and go to a different country to help the marginalized.  I also came away knowing that whatever major I choose it does not decide my future. God can use anything I have for the benefit of others. I came away encouraged to learn more and pursue this field.”

Want to learn more about the DiscoverWork program or volunteer to be a host? Get in touch with us at discoverwork@hope.edu to join our next cycle launching this fall! 

Utilizing the Boerigter Before Summer

With only a few weeks from the end of the spring semester, there may be a thing or two you should get in place before the long-awaited summer. Here at the Boerigter Center, we want you to feel confident launching into whatever is next. Some of you may be applying to summer internships, camp counseling positions, or on the full-time job hunt, but, wherever you’re headed, the Boerigter Center for Calling and Career wants to help you.

Come get your Résumé Reviewed

We say it a lot, but it’s because this is so important. No matter what you’re applying to, you should always have a nice-looking résumé to give employers more insight on who you are and what you’ve done. Drop-in hours are M-F 3:00-4:30 P.M. Stop by any day to have a Career Advisor help you out.

Major Discernment

Maybe you’re still on-the-fence with your major. Set-up an appointment before the year ends to talk about your options or debrief an assessment to help steer you in the right direction before heading into the summer.

Next Steps

Still trying to figure out what’s next? Come make an appointment and we’ll set you up with someone who can help. We want you to feel comfortable going into an interview, aware of how to look for a job that’s the right fit, or whatever other job-related thing you can think of. The full-time staff here have tons of expertise, and they’re eager to share some of it with you.

Come stop by the Boerigter Center to schedule an appointment before the school year ends. You’ll feel much more confident going into the summer with things in order. No matter what your next move is, be sure to equip yourself for whatever may come about.

Miss out on an opportunity to visit us before the school year ends? Have no fear, we are open 8:00am-4:00pm in the summer months!